[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 September 2016, 22:26 GMT]Grassroots organisations, academics and students of University of Jaffna, business community, religious leaders involved in civil activism and various political parties voicing for the rights of Eezham Tamils are extending their support to the public rally named ‘Ezhuka Thamizh’ (Let Tamil rise up) to take place in Jaffna on Saturday. Despite the deviatory sections of the TNA hierarchy, led by M.A. Sumanthiran and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, have been fully busy with causing obstacles to the move taken forward by the Tamil People’s Council (TPC), the mobilisation has gained support from the people on the ground, activists close to the organisers said.

Dr P. Lakhsman, a consultant cardiologist at Jaffna Hospital and one of the Co-Chairs of the TPC, said the mobilisation was not taking sides with any political party or leaders.

One of the main intentions behind the move is to express what the Tamils are demanding, especially from the International Community at a time when the SL State is engaged in drafting a new constitution completely ignoring the Tamil demands that have been articulated by the Tamil people for equality and federalism based on the distinct nationhoods of Tamil-speaking people and Sinhalese people, the organisers said.

Professor V.P. Sivanthan, an action committee member of the TPC and Dr S. Saravanapavan, a leader of the Teachers Union of the University of Jaffna, expressed the support of the Tamil academic community to the mobilisation.

The argument coming from ‘certain sections’ that the mobilisation will be used by extremist sections [in South] to weaken the prospects for reconciliation was a fallacy, said Prof V.P. Sivanathan addressing a press conference organised by the TPC on Wednesday. In fact, the move of articulating the demands for political solution and justice is essential now, he said.

Rev. Fr. S.V.B. Mangalarajah, the chairman of the Commission for Justice & Peace of the Catholic Diocese of Jaffna and Chaithanya Swamika'l, both engaged in civil activism of Tamil Catholic and Saiva establishments, were urging the public support to take part in the processions to start from two locations Jaffna University and Nalloor Temple at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and join together at Iluppaiyadi Junction and march towards Muttave'li Grounds in Jaffna.